Somebody's in trouble…
by i-hate-mornings
Summary: Buffy recieves an owl in the middle of a rainstorm. Wait.. an owl?
1. Chapter 1

I'm putting this chap out as a feeler, to see if there is any interest. It will be my first crossover as I usually write purely Buffy (and Angel) stories.

Please leave me some reviews and let me know if you want me to continue.

For those of you reading this who read my stuff on Slayerfanfic; If you like it, it will be posted there.

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_Disclaimer: None of the characters or locations belong to me. Just the story idea and how it is written._

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_Somebody's in trouble..._

**Chapter 1**

Buffy stood facing the rain drenched window, idly watching as the water cascaded down the pane of glass. It was a miserable day; ending a miserable week. It had continued to rain solidly for the past week and it had brought everyone's moods down. Patrol had been dead; I seemed even the undead held no liking for the rain.

Her bedroom door opened slowly, admitting a bored Dawn. The young girl came to stand by her sister at the window. Neither girl said anything, just stood there, staring out into the greyness that was outside. Buffy reached out and wrapped an arm around the smaller girl, pulling her against her side. Quiet moments, moments like this, were few and far between them.

Dawn's head came to rest on Buffy's shoulder and Buffy turned her head and kissed the girl's forehead softly. When was the rain going to end? Buffy was beginning to get antsy. She hadn't slayed anything in over a week, unless you counted the small indoor fern that used to sit beside the stairway. Buffy had killed that by accident yesterday.

As the two girls stood staring out the window, the rain seemed to ease a little. Buffy stood straighter. 'Did you…'

'Yeah,' Dawn leaned forward too. 'It's a little lighter now.'

The rain eased a little further and Buffy peered out the window. As she did, she noticed a dark shape in the sky, heading in their direction. 'Dawn, get my knife.'

A second later the dagger Buffy hid beside her bed was sitting comfortably in the palm of her hand. Her gaze was trained on the small, dark shape. It was still heading in their direction and as it got closer, Buffy realized the rain was getting lighter still.

She squinted slightly, trying to make out the shape of the dark figure. _It's a bird._ The rain no longer beat against the window so Buffy opened it in order to see better. The bird was only a street away. 'Dawn, come look at this.'

Dawn was beside her instantly, also peering out the window. 'It's a bird.'

Buffy took another look. It was closer now. 'No, it's an owl.'

'An owl?' Dawn queried. 'I thought they slept during the day, that's what I was taught in school. Maybe Xander was right, you learn nothing in school… all they do is lie.'

Buffy made a mental note to talk to Xander later. 'It's definitely an owl. I wonder where it's going,' she mused as the nocturnal bird looked to fly over the house. Before she could think on it any further, the owl dived, swirling majestically in the wind as it headed for the open window.

Both girls jumped back as the coffee-coloured owl landed expertly on the windowsill. Neither noticed that the rain had completely stopped around the house, but was still pouring everywhere else. The bird perched silently for a moment, plumage ruffling in the slight wind, before it hooted calmly.

Buffy glanced at Dawn who was eyeing the bird interestedly. 'Buffy, an owl just came in your window,' the young girl commented as though it happened every other day. Then she noticed something Buffy previously hadn't. 'Ooh, it has something tied to its leg.'

Dawn moved towards the still bird but it began to flap warningly. Buffy yanked Dawn back when the owl looked as though it would attack. She took a step towards the again calm bird. When it did nothing, she took another. She almost laughed at herself. Here she was, a fearless Slayer, approaching a bird with more caution than she would any vampire.

Buffy froze as the bird moved. She watched as it lifted its leg, offering whatever was on it. Tentatively, she reached out and unwound the paper then pulled back from the owl. It hooted softly again and continued to calmly sit there.

Buffy unrolled the paper, no, parchment, and read it to herself.

_Dear Ms Summers,_

_You will never have heard of me before but my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am headmaster of an unusual boarding school in England. We have heard many tales of your exploits and would dearly like to ask for your help. _

_We have fallen on hard times as of late and are in dire need of help for we cannot survive on our own. Your help, as the Slayer, would be greatly appreciated and is genuinely wanted and needed. If you are interested in our cause, please send a reply back with Thornton and you will be given much more information about what exactly is happening._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore_

_(Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry)_

Buff handed the note to Dawn without a word. The girl read it, eyes widening as she reached the end. 'Is this real?'

'It seems real enough,' Buffy replied studying the owl. 'It was sent all fancy and everything.'

'I guess that means the owl is Thornton…' Dawn deduced.

'Yep,' Buffy had already reached that part in her figuring. Ever since they had defeated the Hellmouth, things had been quiet. Vampires and demons were sporadically appearing, leading to many quiet nights for the Scooby gang. If Buffy accepted this… mission… or whatever, it would leave Faith to take care of the Cleveland Hellmouth which might be for the better at every angle. Two Slayers on a Hellmouth that was hardly attracting flies, was a waste of their talent and time.

'So…' Dawn held up the letter.

'It says if I am interested, let them know...'

Dawn found a spare piece of paper on Buffy's over-crowded desk and scribbled a hasty note. She handed it to Buffy, who quickly proofed it then attached it to the waiting owl. The messenger owl immediately took off, flying back the way it had come. Moments later, it had disappeared. Dawn hastily closed the window as the rain returned.

'We need to talk to Giles.'

'And the others,' Dawn put in.

Buffy thought about that. She was reluctant to tell them and she knew why. They would likely try to talk her into taking them with her or they would badger her for information when she had none to give. 'Giles, for now.'

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Well? Would you like to read more. I'm gonna write it anyway, but if you wanna see it, i'd like to share it. 

Ambs


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story line and the actual piece of writing.

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**_Somebody's in trouble..._**

**Chapter 2**

Buffy drove carefully towards Giles' condo, Dawn holding the note clutched carefully in her hands. Buffy's gaze kept straying from the road in front of her to the piece of parchment in the young girl's hands. She sincerely hoped it wasn't a hoax. She didn't think it was, the letter sounded too desperate. Since when did people use _owls_ as couriers? Why couldn't they have posted or emailed like normal people?

She turned the corner slowly, all her concentration now turned back to the road. It would be real bad luck if they crashed before they got to help save the world, again. The rain had eased some since the bird left.

Buffy and Dawn had already concluded the bird had been protected from getting wet, hence why the rain had eased, then stopped, as it had approached the house. Neat trick. Well, Dawn had thought so. Anything that captured Dawn's attention was of the good as far a Buffy was concerned. The girl had been far too glum lately. Having a dead sister being brought back from heaven could do that to a person Not to mention the whole saving the world from The First thing.

Giles' street came up unexpectedly and Buffy had to jerk the wheel so as not to overshoot the turn. The car rode up and over the curb, jarring its passengers.

'Nice,' Dawn grumbled, readjusting herself in her seat. 'Xander drives better than you, and he has one eye.'

'Xander _drives_?' Buffy was appalled. There was one boy who was about to get his ass Slayerized.

Dawn must have realized her mistake and hastily tried to cover it. 'Yeah, you know, in one of those driving games at the place in town.'

They arrived at Giles' and Buffy let the matter go for now. Xander was in big trouble though, he had no idea what was coming to him. After all they'd done to keep Dawn safe, he takes her driving. He didn't even have depth perception anymore! What if a car was closer than he thought? Dawn'd be killed!

They knocked on the Watcher's door and waited patiently. He answered moments later, looking a far cry from his usual impeccable self. 'Giles? Is everything okay?'

The Englishman ushered them through the door, closing it with a solid thud behind them. 'Yes, yes, everything is fine,' he assured them, herding them into his study.

Buffy plonked down into the chair he led them to and waited for the other two to take their seats. When they were settled, Dawn gave Giles the letter.

'What's this?' he held the folded piece of parchment carefully in his hand, making no move to open it.

'About an hour and a half ago, Dawn and I were in my room, watching the rain when an owl _delivered_ this letter to me,' Buffy explained. She heard the reserve in her voice but couldn't stop it. She was no longer the innocent teenager everyone thought she was. Since the mass coup against Buffy in Sunnydale, the blonde Slayer had changed. It was undecided whether that change was for the better.

'An owl delivered you a letter?' Giles asked skeptically. Buffy figured her was wondering about her sanity. Dawn backed her story.

'It was so cool, Giles,' she gushed. 'It was raining and then it wasn't, and the bird landed on Buffy's window. It didn't like me, but it was okay when Buffy went near it.' She noticed Giles' stare. 'It had the letter attached to its leg,' she finished, sinking into her seat.

Giles looked to Buffy for more information. 'That's pretty much it,' she shrugged. Well, it was! 'Owl came, I took the pretty note from its leg and here we are.'

'Hmm…' Giles opened the note carefully and began to read. Buffy looked at her sister who was craning her neck to see out the door they'd entered. Buffy too turned to look. Sitting in the middle of the doorway was a tiny tortoiseshell coloured kitten. The bundle of fur gave a pathetic "meow" and darted forwards into the room. Dawn was on her knees in an instant, picking up the small animal.

'Well,' Giles took of his glasses and held them for a moment, the end of the earpiece touching his bottom lip in a thoughtful pose. The British, so damn… British! 'And you say you received this by owl? Very curious.'

'Yeah, but what do you think?' Buffy got to the heart of the issue. 'They sound pretty desperate, right?'

'Buffy,' Giles sighed. 'For all we know this could be some cooked up plan to catch you off your guard and take you out once and for all. There is no way of knowing if this is real as we will not be finding out.'

'Yes, we will,' Dawn piped up from her position on the floor. She scratched the kitten's head lightly before glancing up at Giles smugly. 'I already answered it.'

'You did what?' Giles asked, appalled.

'I, or well, we, answered the letter already. They need help,' she laughed as the kitten fell over its own tail. Buffy smiled. It was the happiest she'd seen her little sister in a long while.

'What do you mean you answered it? What were you thinking? Did you take any precautions? What if it is a trick to kill you?' Giles ranted.

Buffy didn't blink. It was her life now, and she'd live it the way she wanted to. Her friends pulled her out of heaven only to turn n her when the going got tough. If hey didn't like it well, they didn't have to deal with it. 'Then I'll deal with it when the time comes. We don't know that it's a trick, Giles. They could legitimately be in trouble. Would you rather we sit on the sidelines while an entire community prays for help?'

'Besides,' Dawn picked up the kitten and came to stand supportingly beside her sister. 'The letter asked for Buffy, not you. This isn't about you, it's about her and the good she can do.'

'They need me. You don't,' Buffy said simply. Her mind was already made up. Once she heard back from Fumble-Door, she was packing her bags. 'Faith can handle the Hellmouth just fine. If she can't, there are plenty of other girls you can contact. Kennedy's at Willow's; not exactly hard to find. Vi, Rona, they'll all come if you call.'

'Buffy,' Giles leaned forward, a terse look adding angles to his ace, aging him beyond his fifty-three years. 'I've never heard of this bloke. I don't trust that he will keep you safe. I don't trust that this is real at all. There have been too many ill-conceived, misguided attempts on your life to take this so readily.'

'I feel that this is real, Giles,' Buffy tried to explain. 'Don't you? Look at the letter again. Hold it, _feel_ it.' She noticed Giles' skeptical glance. 'Trust me. I've given you no reason no to.'

Giles grimaced and brought the note closer to his face. He examined every inch of it and still, Buffy could see that he sensed nothing. He waved a hand over it and recognition lit his face. 'I feel it,' he acknowledged. 'Magic.'

Buffy smiled. Maybe there was hope for the old man after all. She felt guilty for using Giles' guilt against him but it had been the only way to make him listen. Well, maybe not the only way, but certainly the quickest. Buffy wasn't sure why, but she felt as though time were of the essence. The lesser time wasted the better.

Dawn put the kitten down as someone knocked on the Watcher's door. 'I'll get it,' she headed towards the door before Watcher or Slayer could stop her. They both stood and made to follow her.

'Are you sure about this Buffy?' Giles tried one last time. Buffy loved that he never stopped trying to protect her.

'As sure as sure can be,' she said lightly. 'Besides, if I'm wrong, you can always say I told you so.'

'I would never say I told you so. It is very bad sportsmanship,' Giles said, looking affronted.

'Buffy?' Dawn called.

Buffy and Giles hurried to the front door. In the doorway stood an old man, about seventy, wearing a… dress? Wait. The dress, cloak, thing was a deep blue that reminded Buffy of the plumage from a peacock. It seemed to shimmer and shine. The pointed hat perched precariously on his head was of the same design. Buffy noticed idly the owl perched on his shoulder was the same one that delivered her letter. The man looked at her merrily through his half-moon spectacles.

'You must be Miss Summers. I am Albus Dumbledore. I believe I asked for your help.'

Still somewhat in shock, Buffy turned to her Watcher. 'Ha! I told you so.'

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Please leave a review and tell me what you think. What you HONESTLY think. My boyfriend thinks it's not worth continuing... Is he right?

I need honest opinons here, nothing less...


	3. Chapter 3

Hi all... Been a long time since i updated ANY of my fanifics. Just been too busy to write anything in a long time. Anyway, i'm working my way back into things, so i'll finish those i have posted, hopefully, soon.

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Anyhoo, enjoy, and please review. Let's me know what i need to change.

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**Chapter 3**

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'So, Mr. Dumbledore,' Giles began hesitantly.

'Professor,' the man corrected. 

'Professor,' Giles amended slowly. 'What exactly is it you do?'

'I teach,' Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily. Buffy could already see that they were going to get along very well. 'Or I used to. I am the headmaster of Hogwarts and have been for many years now. Since that old codger passed away.'

'What is Frogwarts?' Buffy asked curiously. She may have grown up and matured but she was still unable to remember names. Dawn laughed at her and she took a friendly swipe at her little sister.

Dumbledore, too, chuckled. 'No, no, no, not Frogwarts, my dear. Hogwarts. It is a school for the gifted.'

Dawn snorted. 'I've heard that before. X-Men ringing any bells?'

'Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry is a school in the magical community of England. We are not the only school in the world, in fact there are many of us, one even in America, but we are the most widely known. We, unlike some other institutions, accept almost anyone with magical talent,' Dumbledore explained patiently.

Buffy liked that. It was hard in today's world where so many people were discriminated against. Hogwarts must be a pretty diverse place. She was more than intrigued.

'But why do you need Buffy?' Dawn was the first to ask. 'Is there an evil a brewin'? 'Cause I could help too.'

'The reason I ask for your sister's help,' he answered Dawn, a smile twitching the corners of his mouth, 'Is because we have a situation in our world that we cannot take care of on our own. Oh, we have tried, and each time we have failed. The other side has triumphed repeatedly.'

'And what do you think Buffy can do to help?' Giles asked seriously. Buffy knew he was sussing out how much danger she'd be in. _No more than I used to be day in and day out in Sunnydale._

'Miss Summers' gift will come as a surprise to those who wish to conquer us. I believe she may be able to influence the balance to our side for a long while. Not to mention it will do wonders for our students.'

'Wait, students?' Buffy must have missed that part. 

Dumbledore smiled cheerfully at her. 'Why, yes. One of your duties will be to teach the students of Hogwarts. Most are helpless without their wands and would be killed in an instant if stripped of them.'

'Wands?' Dawn perked up. 'As in magical sticks?'

Dumbledore chuckled. 'Yes, little one, as in magical sticks. We use them for our magic, obviously. Only the extremely advanced can do without them. They are used to focus our energies. Our magics come from inside us, unlike the practice of wicca, which is derived from the earth around you.'

'Cool,' Dawn nodded. 'Do you ride broomsticks too?'

'Dawn,' Giles scolded but their guest merely laughed.

'You remind me of one of my students,' the twinkle in his eye grew. 'Yes, we ride broomsticks. We play a sport on them too. They are very useful things.'

'Cool!' 

Buffy could see Dawn was already taken in with the Hogwarts experience, even though they knew next to nothing about it. 'Tell us about your big bad,' Buffy requested of their guest, although they all knew it was more than a request.

'Big bad?' Dumbledore questioned.

'Yeah, your bad guy, the guy who's plaguing your life right now. Who am I being brought in for?' Buffy cleared up for him. She seemed to be slipping helplessly back into the persona of Valley Girl.

'Ah,' he understood now. 'His name is Tom Riddle although he prefers to be known as Lord Voldemort.'

'I was gonna say,' Buffy rolled her eyes. 'Because as names go, Tom Riddle doesn't exactly strike fear in a person's heart, you know?'

'Voldemort is the worst terror the Wizarding world has known for a very long time, if not ever. Fifteen years ago he attacked a family and killed two people, leaving their baby parentless. He also tried to kill the baby but due to his mother's love, the curse was deflected and returned to him. He was weakened that night, stripped from his mortal body and rendered almost useless.'

'But?' Buffy sighed. There was always a but...

'But that couldn't last. Voldemort's followers, a group known as Death Eaters, conspired to bring him back to life, all the while posing as pillars of society. Last year, they were successful. Ever since then word has spread of his endeavors to recruit an army. I fear he will succeed as relations between the Wizarding world and others are not as strong as they once were. I have taken steps to mend that but I fear it will be too late.'

'Huh,' Buffy grunted slightly. She glanced at Dawn who was staring eagerly back at her. 'So, Moldywort is all kinds of bad. Just my kinda guy.'

'So you'll help?' Dumbledore seemed to already know her answer.

'There is something you seem to have glossed over, Bumble-more. This teaching gig…'

Dumbledore laughed heartily at her bungled use of his name. 'You will be required to teach, yes.'

'Right. And what exactly will I have to do?'

'Teach what it is you do best, Miss Summers. Fight. Teach them how to fight, how to defend themselves. Magic alone will not keep them alive,' Dumbledore peered at her through his glasses.

'Oh, okay. That makes things a little easier. Alright Mr., you have yourself a Slayer.'

Buffy wondered for the fiftieth time whether she was doing the right thing. Dumbledore had told them more about Moldyshorts before he had finally left to return to his school. A headmaster's duties were never finished apparently.

Could she really make a difference in this never ending war? How were they supposed to fight this guy? He was purported to be immortal. If there was one thing Buffy had learnt over the years, it was that nothing and no one is truly immortal. There was a way to take Moldywart down and Buffy was going to find it.

'Hey,' Dawn sauntered into the room and collapsed onto Buffy's bed. The Slayer rolled her eyes and pulled her coat from under her sister's body. After much deliberation, Buffy had left the choice of coming or staying to Dawn. The girl was sixteen now, old enough to make her own choices. Wisely, she had opted to stay with the aging Watcher. As much as the Wizarding world fascinated her, she had so much more to learn from Giles and all of his Watchery friends.

'You're gonna miss me, you know?' she said nonchalantly as she reclined on the bed. She picked up Mr. Gordo in one hand and examined him. Buffy knew she was stalling for something.

'Dawn,' she said suspiciously. 'What's going on?'

'Giles called Willow and Xander and told them everything. They wanna come with.'

Buffy resumed packing. 'Not going to happen.'

'That's what I said,' Dawn grinned. 'I said this was something you needed to do on your own and that you needed some time and space to think. I think they were a little hurt but I brushed them off. I know how you feel, Buffy and I'm with you all the way. Oh, they expect a call from you.'

Buffy zipped up her case and dragged it off the bed. She grabbed another one and opened it up. That one was for shoes. 'You'll just have to be with me, but not with me. As for the others, I'm not leaving until tomorrow night. If they want to see me, they can drop by,' she dropped her leather boots into the case.

'Oh, yeah. I guess I forgot to mention that,' Dawn jumped up and rushed out the door, leaving a hastily packing Buffy behind.

The red ones or the green ones? Both.

'Are you sure you have everything,' Giles asked for the tenth time since his arrival not fifteen minutes ago. Buffy rolled her eyes.

'Everything is under control, Watcher-mine,' she said calmly. 'It has been since you last asked me.'

'Right, yes, of course,' he muttered, flummoxed. Buffy had never seen him this way before. It was definitely something to remember for later on.

The front door opened and Willow and Xander walked in, a sour faced Faith behind them. Willow and Kennedy were apparently in a rough patch of their relationship right now, so it was unsurprising to see Willow going solo. Anya had been valiantly killed while fighting the Hellmouth in Sunnydale and Xander had yet to begin dating again. He'd taken her death really hard. Faith's appearance was out of the ordinary.

'Hey Buff,' Xander enveloped her in a large hug. She laughed and pulled him tighter. 'Ah, Buff? Need to breathe?'

'Yeah, B, we 'aint all superheroes,' Faith observed shrewdly.

'No, but you like to think you're one,' Dawn challenged the other Slayer. Faith ignored her.

'Hey Buffy,' Willow said shyly. Willow had never forgiven herself for the part she played in the coup in Sunnydale. She was riddled with more guilt than Giles was. 'I hear you're going to Hogwarts. It sounds really exciting.'

'How'd you know about it?' Buffy asked curiously. 

'I received a letter a couple of years ago but I ignored it. Too much was going on here. I couldn't leave,' Willow shrugged. 'It all turned out for the best. I don't miss what I didn't have.'

Buffy stared at the witch, dumbstruck. She'd thought Willow was going to say Giles had called her. 'Wait, you knew about this before hand?'

'Yep. My aunt attended Hogwarts when she was a child. Great school and you're under Dumbledore. He's the best Hogwarts has ever had I've been told.'

'Huh.' Buffy was still stunned but recovered quickly.

'Why was I never told of this?' Giles was hurt by the notion that Willow knew something he didn't. Buffy laughed.

'You never asked,' Willow said sweetly. 'All those who know about the Wizarding world are forbidden to speak of it others. It is a crime to reveal the world to muggles.'

'Muggles?' Dawn asked.

'Non-magic folk,' the redhead explained briefly. She was going to say more but someone knocked loudly on the door. Giles answered it, leaving the others standing in the hallway.

'Ah, Professor, right on time.'

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As always, nothing belongs to me. Just the story itself.

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